Scent and setting

[phoeg]

I looked around for a similar thread, so if I am covering old ground I apologize. I'm new to this process of "real" shaving, and as of this morning I realized that (for me) different scents of aftershaves have different settings where I'm comfortable wearing them. I guess you could call it "scent and setting." Let me explain.


I've purchased the after shaves available at the local chain pharmacies near me: Clubman, AV blue, Skin Bracer, and Old Spice (nobody start on that one! ). I like them all for different reasons, but I found that AV blue has an especially strong memory association. Please note, any descriptions of people that follow are written with affection and are based on my real experiences.


I grew up during the 60s and 70s on the west side of Cleveland, OH in a largely blue-collar, working-class suburb. This morning I finally pinned down AV. That was obviously a commonly used after shave there. I can't get out of my head an image of Joe, or Stanley, or Stosh getting cleaned up and shaved after a week at the steel mill or Ford plant, and heading down to the polka bar with the wife on Friday or Saturday night. (No kidding. There was one near us that drew a crowd of people from their 20s to 70s, all having a good time. The young women liked to dance, we 21 year old guys liked to watch them, and the old men loved to dance with the young ladies. The air smelled of smoke, kielbasi, and inexpensive working man beers from long neck bottles - Pabst, Bud, Schlitz, POC, Strohs, etc. And then there were the men's aftershaves.) For me, AV blue evokes memories of places like that, or places where the working men were. My grandfather wore it and he worked in a GE plant. Even though I was from a "light blue collar" family (worked in banks and taught) that was still the environment I grew up in.


So I realized today that for me, AV Blue is a weekend aftershave. A Friday or Saturday evening scent, or for running errands where I'm not getting dirty or sweaty (e.g. loading bags of concrete mix into my Jeep at Lowe's-Depot). I know that may sound weird, but I find it very funny how one scent doesn't feel "comfortable" at work, but feels "right" for off-hours on the weekend. I was especially amused at the memories it evoked.


I'm curious if others have had similar experiences.


Thanks for indulging me.

 

[August West]

I am working on a galumpkis balm.

 

[phoeg]

Oooh, I forgot about those!

 

[TheVez2]

Personally, I use any aftershave at just about any time. It's just whatever suits me at the moment. But I get where you're coming from. Scents definitely have connections to our memories, so if a certain scent makes you think of a setting, then it's perfectly logical for you to want to use one in similar situations.

... and Old Spice (nobody start on that one! ).

What's wrong with Old Spice? It's a classic scent that's timeless. Lots of us use it.

 

[jjking54]

I'm much like KJ ... I wear what I want, when I want, where I want, most of the time.

That said, there are times when I was a certain scent when I'm going to dinner with the wife, or going on a job interview, or like you said, a lazy (or not) Saturday morning.

But I've noticed a nostalgia to scents too. AV Ice Blue reminds me of my dad (so does Afta but I don't use it). This week I got my hands on some Fine American Blend soap and A/S and upon smelling it I immediately pictured my former father-in-law.

 

[August West]

English Leather reminds me of my maternal Grandfather.

 

[phoeg]

What's wrong with Old Spice?

Absolutely nothing in my book! I just got mine. I was just making a tongue in cheek reference to the debates over its scent, formula, etc. I can't change the formula or go back in time so I use what is sold and enjoy it.

 

[phoeg]

I guess I'd say that's when I "like" wearing it. Based on my memories and experience it "feels like the weekend" and thus enhances the enjoyment.
Clubman, Old Spice, and Skin Bracer I like during the work week. Although Skin Bracer has that weekend feel for me too. Does double duty! 😀

Because I'm only now in my life using/wearing these scents I'm finding it fascinating how scents can "feel."

 

[intotheforge]

I have some scents that I consider more winter and others that are more summery; but I still mix it up a bit. The only thing I don't experiment with at all is job interviews. I usually use Speick aftershave because I know the scent dies down immediately and the effects are reliable.

 

[margor64peroez]

So I realized today that for me, AV Blue is a weekend aftershave. A Friday or Saturday evening scent, or for running errands where I'm not getting dirty or sweaty (e.g. loading bags of concrete mix into my Jeep at Lowe's-Depot). I know that may sound weird, but I find it very funny how one scent doesn't feel "comfortable" at work, but feels "right" for off-hours on the weekend. I was especially amused at the memories it evoked.

Smell is the most evocative of all the senses. You can smell something and it will trigger memories of a person, place, thing, time, that are far more intense than, for example, a photograph.

That could well impact on the setting you feel is appropriate for a particular aftershave.

My father had a bottle of Old Spice that somebody gave him as a gift but I don't remember him ever using it - aftershave wasn't a big thing in Ireland of the 60s and 70s. But I do know what you mean about how some scents seem appropriate to particular circumstances. I have some scents that I like for summer (Bulgarian Rose) and some for winter (Alt Innsbruck). There are scents that I would never wear to work (Bulgarian Rose again) and others that I thoroughly enjoy wearing at work (La Toja, Aspen, and Bleu de Chanel EDP). And there's one particular scent that I enjoy for socialising be it friends coming over for dinner, a night at the opera, or a Sunday afternoon chamber music recital (Chevalier D'Orsay). For nostalgia's sake (and to remind me of why I am so glad that my teens are decades behind me I have some Blue Stratos). English leather reminds me of my mentor ...

 

[adamchur]

Tabac Original is my all time favourite aftershave
I bought a 300ml bottle from a Perfumery in Magalluf, Mallorca when my Dad moved over here in March 2005.
I always splashed on a generous amount before going out at night.
I moved over here in April 2006, and the bottle of Tabac was stashed away in the cupboard under the bathroom sink until I started DE shaving in November 2014 and dug out the bottle of Tabac.
It's still my favourite, and I only ever wear it when I go out at night.
Every time I splash it on it brings back happy memories like ...........
Sitting at a table outside Las Palmeras Restaurant eating Lobster Bellavista
Sue, a very close friend of ours serving me a lot of Captain Morgan Spiced Rum & Coke at the Royal Garden Bar in Santa Ponsa, while listening to her boyfriend Mark singing on stage.
Nights out in Arfur's Bar drinking bottles of Beck's while listening to the guest act singing on stage.
Listening toour friend Mark Ritchie doing his Neil Diamond Tribute at the Hotel Son Matias Beach
A can of beer and a Doner Kebab when the bars close
A coffee in Papi's Bar at 5am

Every time I wear Tabac, just one whiff of it and I have flashbacks to some great nights out in Magalluf and Palmanova

 

[BigJ]

Sort of! My workplace is supposed to be "scent free" so I tend to light, short lasting scents during the week.

On the weekends I can use AS with a bit more longevity and scent.

 

[NorthernBoy]

My grandfather was a baker.

He wore Old Spice.

I now have his razor.

 

[TheVez2]

Absolutely nothing in my book! I just got mine. I was just making a tongue in cheek reference to the debates over its scent, formula, etc. I can't change the formula or go back in time so I use what is sold and enjoy it.

Oh, I see. I thought you were going somewhere else with that. I don't really like the new formula. I primarily use vintage Old Spice, which ironically enough, I can find for much cheaper than the current stock when I shop at antique stores.

 

[phoeg]

Oh, I see. I thought you were going somewhere else with that. I don't really like the new formula. I primarily use vintage Old Spice, which ironically enough, I can find for much cheaper than the current stock when I shop at antique stores.

Nah, I don't like stirring things up in a bad way. Silly? Maybe that. 😄

I'll have to keep my eyes open in antique stores. That's interesting. I would never have thought they'd carry things like old scents/fragrances. But then again I wasn't in the market for them.

I am learning much here.

 

[TheVez2]

I would never have thought they'd carry things like old scents/fragrances. But then again I wasn't in the market for them.

The majority of my very large aftershave collection is Vintage. The phrase, "They Don't Make Them Like They Used To" is very true in aftershaves. There's lots of great stuff out there. And many times, it's just taking up space in someone's home, so it goes for cheap.

 

[Orangeman]

Interesting topic.

Always felt anything musky was a poor choice for work or church or wedding. Too suggestive for lack of a better word.

Clubman, AQ, Skin Bracer was a safe bet for just about anywhere imo.

 

[OkieStubble]

Personally, I use any aftershave at just about any time. It's just whatever suits me at the moment. But I get where you're coming from. Scents definitely have connections to our memories, so if a certain scent makes you think of a setting, then it's perfectly logical for you to want to use one in similar situations.


What's wrong with Old Spice? It's a classic scent that's timeless. Lots of us use it.

Shulton could be considered as a 'distant relative' to many a baby boomer...

 

[TheVeryIdea]

Clubman has a strong memory-scent association for me; I bet every guy here who likes it would say they remembered their dad/grandpa/great-grandpa wearing it after getting a haircut and a shave down at Floyd's. My dad had been a barber back in his youth and he was the guy in the neighborhood who gave haircuts to his buddies in the garage, where they laughed and drank Olympia and probably told stories and jokes I wasn't old enough to understand.

That and a wooden bowl of Crabtree & Evekyn Sienna shave soap conjure up some powerful memories for me.

 

[Graybeard57]

Scents evoke memories for me, as well. Aqua Velva definitely reminds me of my father. Afta green balm reminds me of my youth. Like others have said, I use whatever suits me that given morning. I only keep two around now, so it's an easy choice!